Page 92 of The Temporary Bride

Dominic raises his glass, an uncharacteristic grin on his face. “You know what? I’ll fucking drink to that.”

“Hear, hear,” Beckett chimes in.

All of our glasses come together in a series of clinks, the sound of rattling ice echoing off the floor-to-ceiling windows of Gabriel’s house. It’s a small gesture, but it feels like a big one, a promise to each other that we’ll do things differently than he did.

As the evening goes on, what I told them lingers in the air. The good mood everyone seemed to have at the start gives way to a thoughtful silence, each of us getting lost in our own heads. It helps to have gotten that all off my chest, and I feel a bit lighter, but the grim topic has definitely brought down the mood.

Gabriel clears his throat after a while. “Should we call it a night?”

There’s a chorus of agreement, and we get to our feet, exchanging claps on the shoulder as we say our goodbyes.

As we start to make our way out, I catch sight of a new addition to Gabriel’s collection. It’s a striking piece, an abstract sculpture in black and gold, standing out brilliantly against the muted tones of the room. The intricate design draws me in, compelling me to stop and admire it.

Gabriel notices my interest and steps up beside me. “It’s new,” he says, a hint of pride in his voice. “I picked it up last week from a sculptor at an art show in Paris.”

The colors remind me of Chloe, her love of gold and black. I can picture it perfectly in our home, something she’d absolutely adore.

“I want to buy it from you,” I tell Gabriel, my mind made up.

He frowns. “Really? I just got it.”

“Yeah.”

“Why?”

“It’s for Chloe,” I admit. I clear my throat and add, “She would love it. It’s perfect for her.”

All of my brothers raise their eyebrows in surprise at that. Reid is the first to chime in, a teasing grin on his face. “Since when did you get so into art, Tristan? I thought your taste was limited to corporate décor.”

Dominic chuckles, adding, “Must be some woman to make you want to buy a piece like that.”

Beckett crosses his arms with a wry grin. “I never pegged you for the romantic type. What’s next? Poetry readings?”

Gabriel smirks, clearly enjoying the moment. “Well, if it’s for Chloe, I suppose I could let it go. But it’s going to cost you. Let’s say… five hundred thousand.”

I know he’s inflating the price by at least a dozen times what he paid for it, but I don’t care. This is for my wife, and it’s worth it. “Deal,” I respond without hesitation.

Gabriel’s smile falters for a split second before he recovers. “Oh. Well, shit. I was not expecting you to go for that.”

Reid whistles, shaking his head. “Too bad. You can’t back out of the deal now, Gabe.”

“No, I guess not.” He chuckles, shaking his head. “Fine, it’s yours. For a ridiculous sum of money.”

“It’s not about the money,” I reply, a small smile playing on my lips.

All four of my brothers laugh at that, and Reid claps me on the shoulder, grinning widely. “Fuck, you must really have it bad for her.”

I don’t respond to their teasing, just pull out my phone and transfer the money to Gabriel.

After a quick confirmation from him, I pluck the statuette from the side table, shooting him a wink. He gives me a look that’s both amused and mildly annoyed as we all make our way to the front door, but he doesn’t protest. Hell, out of all my brothers, he probably knows better than any of them how I’m feeling. He’s the only other one of us who’s been married before.

“Enjoy your overpriced art,” he calls after me with a smirk as we leave.

Chuckling, I give him a mock salute as my brothers head to their cars. “I will.”

I drove myself tonight, so I slide in behind the wheel of my Audi, my mind still buzzing with everything that’s happened. I tuck the sculpture carefully into the passenger seat and buckle it in place.

As I start the engine and head back home, Reid’s words echo in my mind. “You must really have it bad for her.”